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Student Chapter of the Week

Throughout the academic year, the ACS Student Chapters Department honors a Student Chapter of the Week. The chapter is featured on the ACS website, in the ACS weekly bulletin, and in the ACS Student Chapters weekly announcement. The selected chapters are ones that have held exceptional programming, have aligned themselves with the priorities of the national office or have established themselves as a premier student group on campus.

2014-2015 ACADEMIC YEAR: STUDENT CHAPTERS OF THE WEEK

Student Chapter of the Week March 2:

Rutgers-Newark School of Law

The ACS student chapter at Rutgers-Newark School of Law enjoyed a very productive 2014-15 academic year. Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Penny Venetis, the chapter engaged the student body by hosting an array of diverse events and activities, as well as assisted in shaping debate, building networks and making a difference on campus and in the community.

The fall semester began with a Constitution Day event, featuring former New Jersey Attorney General and former Dean of Rutgers-Newark School of Law, John J. Farmer, Jr., who spoke about the current and future state of the Constitution. The chapter began October by welcoming Jenn Borchetta from Demos to discuss voter suppression in the wake of the Shelby County decision. In addition, the chapter hosted a Supreme Court preview, featuring Elie Mystal and Joe Patrice from Above the Law. The chapter also hosted a panel on environmental justice that included Dr. Nickey Sheets, Director of Urban Environmental Policy at Thomas Edison State College and Olga Palmer of South Jersey Legal Services.

Later in the fall semester, the chapter co-sponsored an event with the National Lawyers Guild on the right to protest with Samuel B. Cohen, chair of the New York County Lawyers Association's Civil Rights and Liberties Committee. To finish the fall semester, the chapter celebrated the one year anniversary of marriage equality in New Jersey by co-hosting a panel discussion featuring Executive Director of Garden State Equality Andrea Brown, New Jersey Senator Raymond Lesniak, Partner of Gibbons Law Firm Larry Lustberg and New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg.

To start the spring semester the chapter welcomed Vincent Southerland from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to discuss the racial justice issues surrounding mass incarceration. In February, Ryan Haygood of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund spoke to the chapter about the disenfranchisement of felons, and how litigation is being used to reinstate the voting rights for felons. Additionally, the chapter hosted an event with Professor Bruce Afran on the constitutionality of political corruption laws, which incorporated his experiences in litigating political corruption. Later in February, the chapter hosted a welcoming and networking event for the first year class to join the organization.

The Rutgers-Newark ACS chapter looks forward to a fruitful spring semester with debates on President Obama's Executive Action on immigration and the gender wage gap. The chapter also plans to host events around the 50th anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut, police militarization, UPS v. Young, the Second Amendment, the Affordable Care Act, campaign finance, and much more.

Student Chapter of the Week February 23:

UCLA School of Law

After hosting the successful 2014 ACS Student Convention, the UCLA School of Law ACS Student Chapter had an active fall semester under the leadership of Faculty Advisor and ACS National Board Member Adam Winkler. The chapter kicked off the year with an event on criminal justice and mass incarceration, featuring Los Angeles Public Defender Ron Brown. On Constitution Day, former Supreme Court clerk and UCLA Law Professor Richard Re reviewed the 2014-2015 SCOTUS Term for the chapter and its members.

In addition, the chapter hosted Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer to discuss his office’s innovative community justice initiatives. Attorney Feuer also spoke about pursuing a career in public service. In October, the chapter hosted a lively debate with the Federalist Society regarding campaign finance law, which featured Loyola Law Professor Jessica Levinson and Sean McCutcheon, the lead plaintiff in McCutcheon v. FEC.

Later that month, the UCLA chapter organized a discussion with UCLA Law Professors that focused on whether the Court’s decision to not grant certiorari on circuit opinions was the equivalent of legalizing same-sex marriage. In November, Professor Douglas NeJaime hosted a conversation regarding the Hobby Lobby decision and its ramifications for women and the LGTBQ community.

The spring semester promises many more exciting events. In January, Constitutional scholar Burt Neuborne visited UCLA to discuss his vision of the First Amendment in his new book, Madison’s Music. On February 13th, Mark Haddad, partner at Sidley Austin LLP, mooted Kerry v. Dinn before a panel of professors and practitioners days before he argued the case in front of the Supreme Court. In March, the chapter will host a debate, featuring Thomas Saenz, President of MALDEF, with the Federalist Society on the constitutionality of President Obama’s Executive Order on immigration reform. Later in the semester, the chapter will host a colloquium on Inequality and the Law. The school year will wrap up with a commemoration of Griswold v. Connecticut, featuring reproductive rights activist Sandra Fluke.

Finally, the UCLA chapter is proud to recognize our Faculty Advisor, Professor Adam Winkler, for his appointment to the National ACS Board of Directors.

The ACS student chapter at Pepperdine University School of Law has had an active 2014-15 academic year, covering a broad range of issues. Under the guidance of our Faculty Advisor, retired Ambassador Douglas Kmiec, the two-year-old chapter recruited many new members and was one of the winners of ACS’s student membership drive in October.

The chapter kicked off the fall semester with a conversation with Hedy Epstein, a Holocaust survivor who was arrested in the Ferguson, MO protests this past summer. The chapter held a Supreme Court Preview in October with former Ambassador Douglas Kmiec and Professor Barry McDonald. Pepperdine Dean and Federal Circuit Judge Deanell Tacha (10th Cir.) spoke about the importance of judicial elections and her involvement with the Informed Voter Project. In addition, the chapter hosted a screening of the documentary film Mississippi Innocence and also hosted a lunch meeting with Lara Bazelon of the Innocence Project, who spoke about wrongful convictions and the idea of Civil Gideon.

In November, the chapter hosted the Executive Director of the Social Justice Fund of Ventura County, who spoke about the work done at the organization as well as opportunities for students to get involved. Rounding out the fall, the chapter held a debrief meeting and discussion on the Presidential Address on Immigration and the implications of the DREAM Act with Judge Bruce Einhorn.

In early February, the chapter invited Stephen Rohde, Chair Emeritus of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, for a discussion of the Senate Intelligence Committee Report on CIA torture. On February 17th the chapter will host Vanessa Adriance, Board Member at the Women’s Legal Association of Los Angeles and Associate at Gibson Dunn, and DuVergne Gaines, Legal Coordinator for the Feminist Majority Foundation & National Clinic Access Project, for a discussion on current women’s rights and privacy issues with a focus on the criminalization of miscarriages and the recent Alabama law appointing legal counsel to fetuses.

The remainder of the semester promises to be action packed. In March, the chapter will host an event on net neutrality, featuring Marvin Ammori, Affiliate Scholar with the Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society and the Yale Law School's Information Society Project; Babette Boliek, Pepperdine Associate Professor of Law; and Jessica Gonzales, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at the National Hispanic Media Coalition. In addition, the chapter will host a discussion on the legacy of Griswold and LGBT concerns, featuring Melissa Goodman, Director of the LGBT, Gender & Reproductive Justice Project and Douglas NeJaime, Professor of Law at the University of California at Irvine. Finally, the chapter will end the semester with a three day event on cyber exploitation, which will address issues such as internet privacy and revenge porn.

The ACS student chapter at the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law enjoyed a very productive fall semester. Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor William A. Birdthistle, the chapter engaged the student body by hosting an array of diverse events and activities, as well as assisted in shaping debate, building networks, and making a difference on campus and in the community.

The semester began with a talk by Chicago-Kent alum, Michael Loterstein, who spoke about career opportunities at the U.S. Department of Justice. In September, Illinois Solicitor General and former Faculty Advisor Carolyn Shapiro moderated a panel discussion on the press and the Supreme Court featuring BYU Professor RonNell Anderson Jones, Slate columnist Dahlia Litwick and University of Georgia Professor Sonja West. In celebration of Constitution Day, Professor Steven Heyman presented his work on Conservative Libertarianism and the First Amendment. To conclude September, Professor Sheldon Nahmod gave a presentation on the Religion Clauses of the Constitution.

October began with a Supreme Court preview featuring ISCOTUS Director and Professor Christopher Schmidt, former Illinois Solicitor General Michael Scodro and current Illinois Solicitor General Carolyn Shapiro. In addition, the chapter co-sponsored a speed networking event that featured attorneys from all levels of government. Later in October, Northwestern Professor Sheila Bedi discussed the trend of police militarization and the events in Ferguson. The chapter also hosted an event with Jeff Clements, the founder of Free Speech for People, who talked about the proposed constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and his book, “Corporations Are Not People.” The semester concluded with a round table event on the legal and public policy implications surrounding reproductive justice.

The Chicago-Kent ACS chapter looks forward to a fruitful spring semester with events on the upcoming Supreme Court cases on same-sex marriage and the Affordable Care Act. The chapter also plans to host events around the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Griswold v. Connecticut, Internet Privacy, Korematsu Day, money and politics in state courts, and much more.

The University of Pennsylvania ACS chapter had an active fall semester, hosting a number of events on a broad spectrum of topics under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Kermit Roosevelt. In September, Professor Sophia Lee moderated a Supreme Court review panel discussion, featuring Professor Garret Epps, Professor Seth Kreimer, Professor Renee Landers and the ACLU's Mary Catherine Roper. That same month, Professor Kermit Roosevelt hosted a Constitution Day event and the chapter hosted its semiannual Quizzo.

In early October, Penn ACS hosted a panel event on the ongoing civil forfeiture lawsuit against the city of Philadelphia, moderated by Professors Cathy Carr and Louis Rulli. Later that month, Deuel Ross of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund led a discussion on voting rights after the oral arguments of Alabama Black Caucus v. Alabama. In November, Emily Collins of Fair Shake Legal Services discussed direct legal aid for environmental services.

To start off the spring semester, the chapter hosted a gun control event with CeaseFirePA's Executive Director Shira Goodman. In February, the chapter will host a discussion on UPS v. Young and pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. On February 18th, Professor Sophia Lee will discuss worker’s economic rights and her new book, The Workplace Constitution. In addition, the chapter will again be responsible for administering the ACS National Constance Baker Motley Writing Competition.

In March, the chapter will host an event on net neutrality and internet regulation, as well as the 12th Annual ACS Federal Judges’ Panel. This year’s Federal Judges’ Panel will focus on criminal justice reform and it will feature Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson (D.D.C.), Chief Judge Theodore McKee (3d Cir.) and Judge Jed Rakoff (S.D.N.Y.).

The George Washington University Law School ACS chapter has had a very productive 2014-2015 academic year under the guidance of Faculty Advisors David Fontana and Alan Morrison. The chapter has gained recognition on campus by hosting a wide range of compelling legal discussions, successful trips to the Supreme Court and 1L recruitment events.

The chapter kicked off the fall semester with a Supreme Court preview event and later in the semester hosted a trip to the Supreme Court. Over 30 students braved the cold weather to attend the oral argument of Zivotofsky v. Kerry. Prior to the court visit, GWU Dean Alan Morrison and Professor Edward Swaine led an in-depth discussion of the case.

Early in the fall semester the chapter was joined by famed civil rights attorney John Burris, who previously served as counsel to Rodney King and the late Oscar Grant, whose story was featured in the award-winning film “Fruitvale Station.” Mr. Burris discussed the current state of police brutality in America and the potential avenues for change. The chapter also co-sponsored an event with the GW Pro Bono Department featuring Michael Morton and his Innocence Project attorneys Nina Morrison and Parisa Tafti, who discussed Morton’s wrongful conviction and ultimate exoneration. Rounding out the fall semester, the chapter hosted a happy hour and an exam prep session for first year law students.

The chapter has started the spring semester strong, hosting an in-depth discussion on the Affordable Care Act with five outstanding scholars and practitioners. The chapter plans to continue to engage students with discussions and panels on compelling topics such as solitary confinement and the Eighth Amendment, constitutional interpretation, and affirmative action. In addition, the chapter plans to organize additional career and networking events for its members.

Sadly, the year was also marked by tragedy for the chapter as its Historian, Gregory Levine, passed away. The chapter is planning an event to honor his memory this spring.

Under the guidance of Faculty Advisors Joseph Blocher and Neil Siegel, the Duke ACS chapter launched an active 2014-15 academic year covering a broad range of issues. The fall semester kicked off with a one-on-one conversation between Professor Blocher and Duke Law alumnus Wade Penny '60, who as a young lawyer won a civil rights integration case in the United States Supreme Court in 1967. For Constitution Day, the chapter co-sponsored a panel discussion where UNC Law Professor Michael Gerhardt and Duke Law Professors Christopher Schroeder and Neil Siegel discussed the relevance of the Constitution to the modern legislature.

In November, ACLU attorney Elizabeth Gill and Duke Law Professors Darrell Miller and Neil Siegel discussed the recent wave of marriage equality legal victories. The chapter capped the semester with a lively debate on the constitutionality of North Carolina's school voucher program, featuring Darrell Allison (Educational Freedom in NC), Christine Bischoff (NC Justice Center), Jessica Holmes (NC Association of Educators), Dick Komer (Institute for Justice) and Duke Law Professor Jane Wettach. In addition, the chapter hosted several events to build a progressive community within the law school and in the Triangle area, including a barbecue, a Dear White People movie discussion and a happy hour event with the North Carolina Lawyer Chapter.

Duke ACS’s spring semester will begin with an event on wrongful convictions and dangers of cross-racial eyewitness identification. The event will feature Duke Law Professor Neil Vidmar, Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson, the co-authors of the award-winning book, “Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption.” We look forward to an exciting and informative semester!

Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Erica Hashimoto, the ACS chapter at the University of Georgia School of Law had a successful fall semester, and hosted several events on a variety of topics ranging from constitutional interpretation to the recent clarification of “waters of the U.S.” under the Clean Water Act. Many of the fall events were co-sponsored with the school’s Environmental Law Society, the Woman’s Law Student Association, the Federalist Society and the Education Law Students Association. In honor of Constitution Day, the chapter kicked off the semester with a discussion on constitutional interpretation led by the Justice Thomas O. Marshall Chair of Constitutional Law, Randy Beck.

September also featured a discussion about the recent Scottish Independence Referendum, led by J. Alton Hosch Professor of Law, Lori A. Ringhand. October featured additional events including a panel discussion on careers in Civil Rights law and a successful month-long book drive to benefit local children. In November, the chapter was joined by Bill Sapp, Senior Attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, who came to discuss the EPA’s proposed rule seeking to clarify the meaning of “waters of the U.S.” The chapter also hosted a movie screening with clips from the award winning film Darius Goes West, along with a discussion with the film's star, Darius Weems. Finally, the chapter is excited to kick off the spring semester with an event featuring Robin Steinberg, founder and executive director of the Bronx Defenders.

Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Jeff Fisher, Stanford’s ACS chapter has focused on engaging students and expanding ACS-related learning and professional opportunities on campus. Throughout the fall, the 15-member board has hosted a variety of events, including weekly lunchtime panels and speaker sessions. The chapter has also co-sponsored multiple events, including an advance screening of the documentary Every Three Seconds; a legal storytelling workshop with filmmaker and legal activist Valarie Kaur; panels and workshops during the west coast progressive lawyering conference, “Shaking the Foundations;” and a film screening about disability rights that was followed by a discussion with Professor Stephen Rosenbaum.

The SLS chapter co-hosted two intimate conversations, one with Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center and winner of Stanford’s 2014 National Public Interest Award, and another with plaintiff’s attorney, Shanin Specter. The chapter hosted a panel on Hobby Lobby that featured Maggie Crosby from the ACLU and Professors Richard Ford and Deborah Rhode. The discussion was moderated by former Moot Court winner Alec Schierenbeck. In addition, Bryan Stevenson delivered an inspiring talk on his new book, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, and Professor Deborah Rhode shared insight on her most recent book, What Women Want: An Agenda for the Women’s Movement. Faculty Advisor Jeff Fisher introduced Sharon Baldwin and Mary Bishop, the two plaintiffs in a path-breaking lawsuit against Oklahoma’s same-sex marriage ban. Wrapping up November, the chapter hosted an informational panel on summer opportunities for students interested in criminal justice.

The SLS chapter has been working to implement and expand Constitution in the Classroom. Additionally, the chapter has been working to create an alternative spring break trip to provide volunteers for the immigration crisis. Finally, the chapter has been honored to work closely with Judges Gonzalez Rogers (N.D. Cal.) and Jeffery White (N.D. Cal.) in the judicial mentorship program and was thrilled to host Judge Raymond Lohier (2d. Cir.) this past quarter.

The ACS chapter at Faulkner University Jones School of Law has had a successful fall semester, hosting several events on a variety of topics ranging from civil asset forfeiture to the recent tragedy in Ferguson, MO, to consumer protection in Alabama. Guided by Faculty Advisor John Garman, the chapter has successfully recruited many new members to ACS. Additionally, the chapter has co-sponsored events with the school’s Black Law Students Association and Faulkner Law Democrats. The chapter kicked off the semester with a Supreme Court review of the case Town of Greece vs. Galloway. September also featured a discussion of the events in Ferguson and a symposium on prisoner’s rights. Alec Karakatsanis from Equal Justice Under Law was invited for a discussion about the normalization of mass incarceration and its implications for civil rights law.

November featured additional programming including a discussion on the constitutionality of civil asset forfeiture and an event on consumer protection. Shay Farley, the Legal Director of Alabama Appleseed, came to the law school to give a presentation on student consumer/debtor rights in Alabama. In Ms. Farley’s presentation, she expressed the hurdles that many families in Alabama face due to practices such as pay-day lending and Alabama’s regressive tax policies that continue to perpetuate the cycle of income inequality in the state.

Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor and ACS Board Member Reva Siegel, the ACS chapter at Yale Law School has had a fantastic semester full of interesting speaker events, panel discussions, debates and documentary screenings on a variety of topics ranging from White House policy to grassroots organizing against police brutality.

The chapter kicked off the semester with a panel discussion of Floyd v. New York and New York's practice of “Stop and Frisk.” The event featured the lead attorney in the case and a community organizer from Communities United for Police Reform. The chapter also welcomed Major Jason Wright, former counsel to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Major Wright spoke about the procedural inequities and difficulties facing defense counsel at Guantanamo. Continuing the national security conversation, the chapter co-sponsored two events on surveillance post-Snowden. The events featured Jim Dempsey, a member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, and John Napier Tye, a former State Department official and whistleblower on the Government's use of Executive Order 12333.

Former White House Counsel Bob Bauer and Benjamin Ginsburg, former counsel to the Bush and Romney campaigns, discussed presidential lawyering on a panel moderated by Professor Heather Gerken. Professors Jonathan Adler and Abbe Gluck participated in a lively debate on the statutory interpretation issues in King v. Burwell. In addition, Dean Erwin Chemerinsky visited campus to discuss his new book, The Case Against the Supreme Court. Throughout the semester, the Yale ACS chapter hosted discussions with several judges, including Chief Judge Robert Katzmann of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Justice Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court and Judge Myron Thompson of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. In November, Howard Dean gave a talk entitled, “The First Global Revolution Has Started and it Won’t Be Stopped.”

Fall 2014 marked the second year for Yale ACS chapter’s "Plaintiffs' Bar" series. As part of the series the chapter was joined by Jonathan Feinberg who shared his experiences bringing §1983 claims in Philadelphia, and Michael Anderson who spoke about his work as both a labor lawyer and as a founding partner of his own employment law firm.

In addition to this extensive programming, the chapter has also increased its mentoring and community building events. The chapter pairs 1Ls with upperclassmen who mentor and advise the 1Ls regarding clerkships and progressive careers. The chapter has developed an alumni database to help connect both current and former chapter members across the country. The chapter also hosts a reading group for its members, featuring papers by progressive scholars such as Professor Harold Koh and Dean Robert Post. The reading group will expand next semester to include both new and old chapter members and will focus on a new topic: economic inequality. Finally, inspired by the work of our fellow chapters, the Yale ACS chapter has recently begun a community service initiative. For its first service project, the chapter will work with the Connecticut Fair Housing Center to compile a history of discriminatory housing policy cases in Hartford.

Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Joel Goldstein, Saint Louis University School of Law's ACS Chapter has had a successful fall semester. The chapter kicked off this year with a coalition meeting of progressive student organizations at the law school. ACS and six other student groups spoke to students about getting involved in our organizations; this meeting was followed up with a co-sponsored Progressive Student Assembly Happy Hour. In celebration of Constitution Day, the chapter hosted a debate between Professors Marcia McCormick and Douglas Williams on the constitutionality of Congress’ lawsuit against the President. In addition, Jeffrey Mittman, Executive Director of the ACLU of Missouri, was invited to speak on the status of the death penalty in Missouri. The chapter also hosted a roundtable discussion and lunch with Professors Matthew Bodie, Chad Flanders, Mal Harkins, Marcia McCormick, Attorney Sarah Pitlyk and Professor Sidney Watson, who all weighed in on the various implications of the Supreme Court’s decision on Hobby Lobby.

The chapter held a Ferguson Policy Solutions Workshop event moderated by Professor Justin Hansford that featured a fantastic speaker line-up including John Chasnoff of Coalition of Police Crimes and Repression; Monique Dixon of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Professor Emeritus Roger Goldman; Thomas Harvey of ArchCity Defenders; David Leipholtz of Better Together St. Louis; Crestwood Municipal Court Judge John Newsham; and former Missouri Supreme Court Justice and SLU’s Dean Michael Wolff. The event was a great success and attracted media attention including from St. Louis Public Radio.

November has also been an eventful month for the SLU ACS Chapter. Mayor Francis Slay was invited to speak on the status of marriage equality in the city of St. Louis and in the state of Missouri. The Judicial Clerkship Career Panel event featured seven clerks representing federal courts in the states of Missouri and Illinois. The chapter also hosted small group Brown Bag Lunches throughout the semester with Professors Marcia McCormick, Karen Petroski and Brendan Roediger. Finally, the chapter is wrapping up our busy semester with the Sounds of Change event; a night of music, poetry and spoken word inspired by the recent events in Ferguson.

The ACS student chapter at Harvard Law School has focused much of its attention this semester on fostering dialogue among students about important issues facing our country, with the hopes of raising awareness and finding new ways to tackle these difficult problems. With the support of a dedicated board of 26 students, over 70 committee members and Faculty Advisor Michael Klarman, the chapter has hosted a broad range of speakers, panels, colloquia, town hall discussions and small-group coffee meetings.

The semester began with an inspiring speech by Professor Laurence Tribe about the overarching themes of the Roberts Court and its stance on various progressive issues. Professors Noah Feldman and Jack Goldsmith discussed ISIS and the domestic legal basis for the use of force against the terrorist group, and journalist Rami Khouri explained the legitimacy, efficacy and potential consequences of U.S. action against ISIS forces. In addition, the chapter has sponsored talks by Jonathan Soros in regard to his effort to reform campaign finance laws. Other invited speakers include Ed Aro of Arnold & Porter LLP, who spoke on prison reform; Allison Brown of Open Society Foundations, who spoke on educational equity; and Louise Melling of ACLU, who spoke about reproductive freedom and access to abortion. The HLS Chapter has also been fortunate to host Judge Robert E. Bacharach (10th Cir.) and Judge Gary Feinerman (N.D. lll.), and has hosted two moot court events with Tom Goldstein of Goldstein & Russell P.C.

In addition to bringing in speakers from across the country, the HLS chapter is dedicated to giving back to our community through a variety of community service projects. In addition to participating in theConstitution in the Classroom program, Harvard's ACS members have been working with Breakthrough Greater Boston to provide one-on-one college access coaching to high school juniors in low-income areas. The chapter plans to work with other groups on campus to organize a food drive for the upcoming holiday season and an MLK day of service next semester.

The ACS Chapter at Indiana University Maurer School of Law, under the guidance of Faculty Advisor and ACS Board Member Dawn Johnsen, has had an eventful fall semester with numerous social events, lecture series and co-sponsorship opportunities. Maurer ACS kicked off the year with an exciting debate between James Bopp and David Cobb on the topic of campaign finance, entitled "Citizens Divided: Corporate Money, Speech and Politics." For Constitution Day, the chapter featured Professor Geoffrey Stone as a commentator at the ACLU-IN/ACS Constitution Day Trivia Night.

In addition to these exciting events, Maurer ACS co-sponsored an immigration panel with several other student groups, including a Sex-Ed Trivia Night, and a "Post-Hobby Lobby Panel and Q&A" with LSRJ. The chapter is also gearing up to co-sponsor an "After DOMA" panel with the school's Outlaw and LGBT Project groups. In celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the chapter is in the midst of featuring a semester-long lecture series called "Brown at 60," which involves collaboration with the Office of the Provost and the Black Law Student Association. The series features speakers, interactive workshops and documentary screenings, with lectures by Julian Bond, Mark Tushnet and Guy Uriel-Charles, among others.

Focusing on 4th Amendment rights, the Maurer ACS chapter has screened the documentary State of Arizona, hosted a “Know Your Rights” training session on the undergraduate campus and collaborated on a multiple-day stop-and-frisk demonstration. The chapter looks forward to co-hosting the Fall Semester Progressive Group Mixer in November and will host events later this year for the anniversary of Griswold and on the topics of Prison Reform and Civil Legal Aid.

The ACS Chapter at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law has successfully hosted several events on topics ranging from election law to the recent tragedy in Ferguson, MO, to the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. Guided by Faculty Advisor Daniel Tokaji, the chapter has been successful in recruiting many new members to ACS. Additionally, the chapter has been working with the Columbus Lawyer Chapter to plan events, including an upcoming networking event which will be held later in the year.

The chapter kicked off the year with a celebration of the Civil Rights Act at 50, partnering with the law school and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to discuss what the Act meant in 1964 and what it means today. In addition, the chapter partnered with the Moritz Election Law Program, the Democratic Debate Society and the Federalist Society to host a conversation between former FEC Commissioner Brad Smith and FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub. It was an exciting and spirited debate over the future of campaign finance.

October featured a two-part series on the events in Ferguson, MO, partnering with the student ACLU chapter and the Black Law Students Association. Professors Sharon Davies, Joshua Dressler, David Goldberger, Vincene Verdun and FOP General Counsel Gwen Callender reflected on race relations in law enforcement and systematic injustice in the wake of this summer’s events. Students at the Moritz College of Law discussed their experiences with law enforcement and their thoughts on possible solutions for the future.

Rounding up the month, the chapter co-hosted the school’s annual Supreme Court Preview event with the Federalist Society, featuring professors Martha Chamallas, Ruth Colker, Ellen Deason, Steven Huefner, Daniel Tokaji and Ric Simmons. Finally, the chapter has been very successful with its student recruitment and membership drive efforts, with 20 chapter leaders and 40 new student members signing up to become ACS National Members.

The ACS Student Chapter at the University of Texas School of Law has hosted a number of engaging events under the guidance of Faculty Advisors Lynn Blais, Joseph Fishkin and William Forbath. The chapter kicked off the year by welcoming 1Ls and transfer students interested in social change at “Change It Up!” a co-sponsored event with the William Wayne Justice Center. On September 9th, Attorney Jason Steed, President of the ACS Dallas-Ft.Worth Lawyer Chapter, gave an informative presentation on the most notable Supreme Court cases of the last term. In celebration of Constitution Day, Professor William Forbath led a discussion on the challenges progressives face in asserting a constitutional vision to promote general welfare.

The chapter co-hosted a panel of faculty on their work lawyering for social change featuring Professors Michele Deitch, Andrea Marsh and Lucy Wood. Congressman Marc Veasey, U.S. Representative for the 33rd Congressional District of Texas and lead plaintiff in the Texas voter ID case, joined the chapter for a happy hour discussion on voting rights and redistricting. In addition, the chapter co-hosted a stimulating panel with the Chicano/Hispanic Law Students Association and Human Rights Law Society about unaccompanied minors crossing the nation’s border. Panelists included Ed Gallagher from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas; Alfonso Gonzales, Assistant Professor at LLILAS, University of Texas at Austin; and Jonathan Ryan, Executive Director of RAICES. Texas Law Professor and Immigration Clinic Director Barbara Hines moderated the panel to a packed audience.

October events included a debate week with the Texas Law Federalist Society. Professor Neomi Rao of George Mason University School of Law and Attorney Pete Schenkkan of Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody debated agency independence, removal power and executive control. Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation and Jan Soifer of O’Connell & Soifer debated the outcome of Hobby Lobby. The chapter also co-hosted a panel on post-grad fellowships with law school alumni.

The ACS Chapter at the University of Missouri School of Law kicked off this fall with events focused on promoting diversity and equality. In the aftermath of the recent tragedy in Ferguson, MO, the chapter sponsored a discussion featuring Professor David Mitchell, Dean Rigel Oliveri, Professor Rodney Uphoff and members of the Ferguson community. In addition, the chapter hosted a “Diversity in the Law” panel featuring Professor Chuck Henson, Dean Rigel Oliveri and Faculty Advisor Richard Reuben. In celebration of Constitution Day, the chapter live-streamed a panel called “The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Its Current Implications.”

The chapter also sponsored an event called “The Merits and Flaws of Hobby Lobby,” which featured Professor Frank Bowman of the University of Missouri School of Law and Professor Joshua Hawley, who argued on behalf of Hobby Lobby in the Supreme Court. On October 14th, the chapter invited Anthony Williams, who spoke about his wrongful conviction of a first-degree murder at age 14 and his 20-year ordeal in prison before receiving justice.

The chapter hosted a panel discussion on civil legal aid on October 9th, featuring representatives from Legal Services offices across Missouri. A panel of students experienced in pro bono work spoke on October 10th, and gave tips to students on how to get involved with legal service and pro bono work while in law school.

The chapter is gearing up for its annual Supreme Court Series, which will include a discussion of pregnancy discrimination in Young v. UPS by Professor Chuck Henson and a discussion of religious freedom in Holt v. Hobbs & City of Greece v. Galloway by Professor Carl Esbeck. The chapter is proud to sponsor these series and is grateful to the National ACS office for making these events possible.

The ACS Chapter at William & Mary Marshall-Wythe Law School, under the instrumental guidance of Faculty Advisor Allison Orr Larsen, has continued to diversify its efforts and increase its presence on campus. It has become a major force for progressive dialogue at William & Mary, hosting engaging events that foster important public policy debate.

The chapter began its semester with an interest meeting and a Constitution Day Celebration. It was fortunate to host Dahlia Lithwhick of Slate early in the semester, who spoke on the tension between the Press and the Supreme Court. The chapter has also emphasized civil rights issues that are important to William & Mary law students. On October 2nd, Louise Melling, Deputy Legal Director at the ACLU and Director of its Center for Liberty, presented a talk entitled "What's Happening with Abortion Regulations: Reasons to Care." A week later, the chapter teamed up with the Election Law Program's Professor Rebecca Green and the Election Law Society for a discussion about voting rights and racial gerrymandering post-Shelby County with Jon Greenbaum of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Later in the semester, the chapter will co-sponsor a panel discussion about civil legal aid with the Immigration Law & Service Society, featuring Professors Angela Banks and Lauren Vogt. Finally, the chapter looks forward to planning a 50th Anniversary commemoration event of the Civil Rights Act with the Black Law Student Association and the Latino Law Student Association. In addition to its regular speaker programming, the chapter recently began a movie series and will show Mississippi Innocence in late October.

The ACS Washington University Law School Chapter has had an exciting fall thus far and looks forward to continuing that excitement throughout the school year. With the invaluable support of Faculty Advisor Professor Karen Tokarz, the chapter has held numerous events on timely topics. Professor Kenji Yoshino, the Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at New York University, gave a stimulating talk on Covering and its impact in the workplace, highlighting important facets of employment law that are often overlooked. Ms. Sherrilyn Ifill, President of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, gave an impactful and invigorating presentation on the legacy of Brown vis-à-vis the tragedy in Ferguson, MO. This event was a wonderful opportunity for students to understand the history of the Civil Rigths Movement and its impact on our community.

The chapter wrapped up September with its annual Constitution Day event, a SCOTUS Review. Professors Lee Epstein, Gregory Margarian, Elizabeth Sepper and Wash U Law alum and Southern Illinois University Dean Bill Freivogel broke down the decisions and received many laughs in discussing the Justices’ voting patterns.

The chapter looks forward to wrapping up the fall with a Second Amendment presentation from UCLA Law Professor Adam Winkler. Additionally, the chapter will host a bipartisan Election Law panel co-sponsored with the Federalist Society, and a panel on Hobby Lobby’s effect on employment discrimination of LGBTQ employees co-sponsored with OUTLaw. The chapter is also gearing up for its ongoing service project, Constitution in the Classroom. Finally, the chapter would like to congratulate the new members of the 1L committee, who will help with planning events for the spring and jump right into becoming chapter leaders.

In its fourth year as a chapter, under the guidance of Faculty Advisors Jonathan Miller and Gowri Ramachandran, Southwestern’s ACS chapter has increased the number and diversity of events it has planned and held. The chapter has also developed its relationship with the Los Angeles Lawyer Chapter and with other law school chapters in the Southern California region. Upcoming events include a general membership meeting; a Supreme Court Term Preview; a networking event with Southwestern’s new (and first female) Dean Susan Westerberg Prager; and a discussion about trials before an ad hoc human rights court for East Timor with Professor Mark Cammack. This year, for its Constitution in the Classroom event, the chapter supported and promoted the Los Angeles County Bar Association's “Dialogues of Freedom” Program, which was held on Constitution Day.

Under the invaluable guidance of Faculty Advisors Professors Michael Gerhardt, William Marshall and Gene Nichol, the ACS chapter at UNC School of Law looks forward to another great year. They kicked off the semester with a live screening and discussion of the North Carolina Senatorial debate between Senator Kay Hagan and Speaker Thom Tillis. They also co-hosted an event with the UNC Law chapter of ACLU called “Policing the Bull City: Race, Class, and Police Accountability in Durham” featuring a panel of local experts including Attorneys Mark Dorosin of the UNC Center for Civil Rights and Ian Mance of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.

In recognition of Constitution Day, the chapter hosted an event on constitutional interpretation and racial equality featuring Dean Jack Boger and the newly-appointed director of the UNC Center for Civil Rights and former ACS board member Professor Ted Shaw. In light of Brown’s sixtieth anniversary, the event largely focused on public primary school re-segregation.

In the coming weeks, the UNC School of Law chapter looks forward to co-hosting a Supreme Court Review with the Federalist Society featuring in-house faculty, and two rounds of Constitution in the Classroom. The chapter is especially excited to cross the “Tobacco Road” and partner with the ACS chapter at Duke University School of Law and the local North Carolina ACS Lawyer Chapter to host a Supreme Court Preview event in Chapel Hill in late October.

With the invaluable support of Prof. Gillian Metzger, the Columbia Law School Chapter has focused on raising the level of debate at the law school and engaging students on many of the pressing questions of the day. This fall, on October 17th, the Columbia Law School Chapter will be hosting the Northeast Regional Convening for all the ACS student chapters in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The chapter is hosting other events to mark a number of occasions. First, to celebrate Constitution Day, the chapter has invited Prof. Michael Graetz for a discussion of the lasting influence of the Burger Court. Second, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Chapter will be hosting Judge Marsha Berzon (9th Cir.), for a discussion of Justice William Brennan’s contributions to civil rights and discrimination law.

The chapter has also been working with other student organizations at Columbia Law School to sponsor events on a wide range of issues. On September 10th, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers addressed his state’s experience with the legalization and regulation of marijuana. On September 25th, Prof. Adam Cox of New York Law School will be speaking on the topic of separation of powers in the context of immigration law. During the months of October and November the Chapter will be co-hosting a Supreme Court Roundup, a debate on the ACA tax subsidies cases, and an analysis on the recent Hobby Lobby case with the Federalist Society. Finally, the chapter will be hosting Judge Terrence G. Berg (E.D. Mich.) for a discussion of his path to the bench and Lt. Col. Dr. Eran Shamir-Borer of the Israeli Defense Forces for a presentation of the legal issues surrounding asymmetric warfare.